Broccoli, Chicken and Feta Pasta with Parmesan Croutons

Feta cheese and broccoli florets make playful companions in this grilled chicken pasta with parmesan croutons. A lemon and garlic kissed sauce lightly coats the pasta shells and brightens up the flavors.

I could be perfectly happy eating pasta like this for the rest of my life. Every, single day. With so many different shapes and sizes of pasta and an endless variety of ingredients to marry them with I would never have to eat the same dish twice. Everything works with pasta.

This has all the comfort of a fall dish while still holding on to summer a little longer by grilling the chicken. You can use a rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken instead.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pour a tablespoon of oil onto the middle of a large baking sheet or roasting pan, add bread and toss around to coat the croutons, sprinkle with parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until lightly golden 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile use 1 tablespoon oil to coat the grill rack, then heat to medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Grill on each side until cooked through (165-174 degrees F). Remove and set aside for 5-10 minutes then thinly slice into bite-size pieces.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta and broccoli together to al dente, reserving 1/2 cup of the water before draining.

Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil along with the garlic to the pan over low heat. When garlic is fragrant add pasta, broccoli, chicken, feta and lemon zest. Toss well, drizzling with the reserved pasta water if needed to create a sauce.